Every A-list movie star suffers a career slump, and Jim Carrey at least had the benefit of featuring in a string of smash hit comedies and critically acclaimed dramas before his onscreen fortunes began to nosedive. In the space of ten years, the actor headlined a barrage of comedy favorites and proved his dramatic chops when he wasn’t busy pulling faces, winning two Golden Globes for his efforts.
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, Dumb and Dumber, Batman Forever, Liar Liar, The Truman Show, Man on the Moon, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Bruce Almighty and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind all arrived within a decade of each other, and the ones that didn’t receive great reviews managed to do bumper business in theaters, so there’s no shame in Carrey’s standing diminishing somewhat after such an incredible hot streak.
Fun with Dick and Jane, meanwhile, was released in December 2005, and while it was far from a bomb after hauling in over $200 million globally, the $100 million budget slashed the profit margins significantly. A remake of the 1977 film of the same name, Carrey and Téa Leoni play the title roles as a married couple who turn to crime after the husband loses his job in a financial collapse reminiscent of the Enron scandal.
The potential is definitely there for a razor sharp takedown of the American dream and how corporations always screw over the little guy, but instead the script is happy to fall back on Jim Carrey‘s constant mugging and penchant for slapstick. Still, Fun with Dick and Jane is now posting a surprisingly strong performance over on Netflix, where it’s rocketed out of nowhere to reach the upper echelons of the most-watched list and can currently be found in ninth place.
Published: Mar 20, 2021 11:51 am